Chapter 7
Hoping to sneak out of the room before Romeo wakes up, I go to step out of bed, but as I do, I feel thick fingers wrap tightly around my wrist. With one quick tug he has me back by his side, then he rolls on top of me, peering down in all his sleepy, sex-mussed perfection.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?” He smirks devilishly.
“It’s your birthday, I need to give you your gift.”
My birthday.
I cringe, wishing I could just bypass the day all together.
“I have a club to run, I can’t lie in bed all day,” I throw back at him.
He checks his watch.
“It’s only eight a.m. I think your nightclub will survive a little longer without you overseeing it.” He stares me down, and I know he’s serious.
He’s so intense. He has been all night.
We would drift off to sleep in each other’s arms, then I would wake to his lips on me again.
We didn’t have penetrative sex again, but we did everything else, until I eventually passed out from exhaustion.
The man is insatiable, and I reckon we would have gone all damn night if I could have kept up with him.
“Part of me is starting to think you have plans to keep me in this room with you forever.”
His eyes light up.
“Seems like a good idea to me.”
A small flash of fear comes over me from the seriousness of his tone.
“Romeo,” I warn him .
His lips twitch up at the sides in a playful smile.
“I’m kidding. Stay with me one more hour, then I will let you get on with your day.” I feel his hard cock at my entrance, and he pushes the tip in just a little, teasing me.
I’m wet as fuck all ready, knowing this might just be that last chance I have to screw him properly.
Last night was special, but I know I’m not going to leave a lasting impression on him of the best fuck ever.
“Condom,” I snap in a panic, feeling how close he is to actually pushing inside of me.
I don’t know where it comes from, but he produces a foil packet and rolls the condom on over his massive cock.
A wicked gleam in his eyes tells me he was ready for me well before I woke up this morning.
Once suited up, he teases me, sliding his cock between my legs again, getting it all slippery with my arousal.
I’m so damn turned on by him.
I already know this time is going to be so different.
He pushes inside of me in one move, and I let out a cry, trying to adjust to his size.
“Are you sore?”
“A little,” I admit.
He did use my pussy like his own personal instrument all night long, so it’s not surprising.
But it also doesn’t mean I want him to stop.
I need to feel him inside of me again.
“We can go slow,” he tells me.
I lock eyes with him, a fierce determination coming over me.
“No, I want you to fuck me like you normally do. Don’t go easy on me.”
His lips twist into a menacing smirk, and he pulls back from me, thrusting inside of me deeper than before.
“Oh God,” I cry out, not able to help it.
It hurts like hell but also feels so damn good it makes my head spin.
Over and over again he punishes me, making sure I can feel every slight movement, and my body shivers all over as my orgasm builds.
“That’s it, Sloane, let me in. Let me fuck your sweet, tight, little cunt. ”
My eyes roll back in my head.
Fuck this man. I knew he was totally holding back on me last night, but now in the light of day, I see him very clearly and he’s a fucking god.
Or god of fucking, and I’m here for it.
I concentrate on every deep pump inside of me, keeping my eyes locked with his as he coaches me through it.
He knows I’m still on edge, but he keeps me right here in the moment with him.
“I’m going to lift your legs so you can feel me deeper. Tell me if it’s too much.”
All I can do is nod as he moves me so my legs are rolled up high, my knees close to my chest.
He pushes inside me again, and I cry out, feeling him so deep.
Wickedly he grins down at me as he builds the momentum again.
His hand coming to my clit, he plays with me just like I did myself last night.
The sensations are all too much, tipping me over the edge into bliss as my pussy clenches so tight around him.
Waves crash over me, but he doesn’t stop.
He fucks me right through my orgasm until he finds his own release.
“You’re so fucking perfect. I’m never letting you go,” he says as he fills me up.
At least I think that’s what he says.
Even through my euphoric haze my eyes pop open, and I stare up at him, wondering if he was for real or if that is just something he says to girls in the moment.
Because I have only known him for one night, but I kind of hope he’s serious.
And I know that makes me sound like a stage-five clinger, but right now, I don’t give a flying fuck.
An hour later he kisses me goodbye as I try to get out the door of the room we stayed in.
I hope to God that the rest of my club is empty.
We aren’t open at nine in the morning, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t people around.
“Do you want me to let you out the back so you can get to your car?” I ask, not sure how this is supposed to work.
“I’ll walk through the front like a normal person,” he says with an edge of disappointment in his voice.
Fixing his tie back in place, he’s the epitome of male perfection.
It’s hard to believe he’s in last night’s suit.
I bite my lip, not so sure about walking him through.
Last night I didn’t care what anyone thought about me, but in the light of day, I’m not so sure I want my night of fun to be public news around this place.
“What, Sloane?”
“It kind of feels like the walk of shame. What if my brothers are still out there?”
“What if they are?”
I sigh heavily, knowing I’m not going to win this battle.
He’s just as stubborn as I am when he’s made his mind up about something.
I fix my dress, making sure I don’t look as much of a mess as I feel with no make-up on, and pray to whoever will listen that the building is empty.
I open the door with Romeo right behind me, his hand lingering on my side, and flinch when I find Onyx staring back at me from across the hall, his arms crossed over his chest. Oh, dear God, I don’t have it in me for this conversation this morning.
I step out into the hall.
“Did you stay here all night?” I ask him, concerned as much as anything.
What the hell, he must be exhausted.
“My job is to make sure you get home safely each day,” he seethes with a bitterness to his tone I don’t appreciate.
It’s not my fault my brothers pay him to watch over me constantly.
“You must pay him well,” Romeo comments .
I don’t have anything to say back to him, so I keep moving down the hall.
I can feel the heat already radiating off my face, and I just want to get this over with.
Make it to my office before I have to see anyone else so I can fix my make-up before I start work for the day.
Romeo walks alongside me, but for once he’s keeping his hands to himself, and I feel Onyx right behind us.
I open the door with a PIN code and walk into the strip club.
I hear my dance instructor, Paige, calling instructions as she takes a dance class on the main stage and keep my head facing forward and move a little faster so I don’t catch anyone’s line of sight.
I forgot she was teaching the new girls this morning.
I shove open the door to the main part of the club.
It’s unlocked and un-manned due to the early hour, but the sight I find on the other side of the door stops me dead in my tracks.
Holy shit! The place is trashed.
What was a classy establishment is now littered with empty bottles, discarded clothing, and sleeping bodies that look half dead.
“Looks like the party got a little out of hand once we left,” Romeo mutters from my side.
But that is an understatement.
My pulse races. What the fuck?
I have one night off to have a little fun and this is the shit I have to walk in on.
I spot Jagger passed out on the floor by the bar and storm over to him, kicking him in the side.
When he doesn’t budge, I go behind the bar and grab a bucket full of ice water.
I haul it back over to where he’s comatose and dump it over his head.
From behind me I hear Romeo snicker a laugh.
I throw my head back to glare at him.
“Don’t you dare, this is all your fault,” I snap.
Jagger groans out a protest and sits up in a rush, coughing and spluttering, his sleepy eyes finding mine.
“What the fuck, Sloane.”
I glare daggers at my brother.
This is the last time I ever leave him in charge of this place.
Taking his hand, I haul him up to standing.
“ What the fuck is right. Who the hell let this happen to my club? You said you had it all under control.”
He runs a hand through his hair, his eyes shifting around the place, widening as he takes in all the mess.
“Well, shit.”
“Is that all you have to say for yourself?” I slap him across the arm as hard as I can.
“You and the other numbnuts who caused this mess better have it fucking sorted by the time I get out of my office to start the day or there will be hell to pay.”
Asher appears, his head popping up from behind a booth seat.
“Hey, Sloane’s back,” he calls, obviously still trashed.
“With her boyfriend.” He smirks cheekily seeing Romeo at my side, and I want the earth to swallow me up.
What the actual hell kind of world have I woken up in this morning?
I glare at him and stomp my foot.
“You can find your own way out, Romeo,” I toss over my shoulder before taking off for my office.
I have had enough of all men for today.
Once inside, I lock the door and go straight for my desk drawer, pulling out my bottle of pills.
I pop two in my mouth and swallow them down with a bottle of water from my bar fridge.
My head is heavy and foggy.
I need some clarity if I’m going to make it through the day.
On my desk sits a massive vase of red roses.
I’m not even surprised.
Every year since my mother was killed, they arrive on my birthday.
I spy a little card attached and open up the envelope.
Inside is a bright red heart with a note that says Happy birthday, enjoy these in my absence.
They’re almost as beautiful as you.
I have no idea why, but the words send a chill over me.
Every year it’s the same, and every year it kind of freaks me out because I have no idea who sends them.
Everyone in my life knows I only like white roses .
Not having time to dwell on the unwelcome gift, I go right for my private bathroom and splash water on my face, drying it off with a cloth, before pulling open the drawer with my stash of emergency make-up in it.
I take my time perfecting every detail just the way I like it.
Dark eyes, peachy lips, flawless skin.
Then I fix my hair in a high ponytail and look at myself again.
Much better. I take a deep breath, the control starting to fall back into place.
In my office, I open the cupboard and find a white sheath dress, left just in case I ever needed a fast change of clothes.
I strip off my cocktail dress from last night and pull it on, fixing the zipper in place down my back.
Then I switch my strappy heels to white pumps, and I’m done.
Back to normal. In control and ready to face the mess outside.
Fuck, my brothers are immature assholes sometimes.
I know when I get out there, I will still have to deal with the mess.
They are in no condition to do anything.
I shake my head as I open my door to leave my office.
Lucky I know how to turn the constant shitstorm they throw at me into gold.
This family would be truly fucked if it wasn’t for me.
Onyx is waiting for me just outside the door.
He still looks mighty pissed, and I roll my eyes in his direction.
This is his fault. If he hadn’t rejected me yesterday, I wouldn’t have felt the need to play up with Romeo.
Or maybe I would have.
I was a ticking time bomb, but his rejection definitely tipped me over the edge.
“Sloane, before you go out there,” he says, surprising me.
I was expecting cold, distant, and broody like he normally is.
“What?” I snap, spinning back around toward him.
His eyes burn into mine, so intense it feels like he’s peeling away every one of my defenses.
He closes the gap between us, and before I know what’s happening, his hands are on me and I’m being pushed into the solid flocked-wallpapered wall behind us.
He cages me in with one hand flat against the wall beside me, and the other on my waist. His jaw is tight, his chest heaving, his face so close to mine I can smell him.
And fuck, he smells divine.
“What, Onyx?” I say, softer this time, searching his face.
Is he going to finally give me what I want and kiss me?
I’m almost desperate for it.
I lick my lips involuntarily.
I have wanted Onyx for so long, it is actually starting to hurt being around him every day.
He leans in, our faces just an inch apart, his breath warm against my cheek.
His eyes drop down to my lips for a split second before jumping back to my eyes.
Slowly, deliberately, he tugs a fallen strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing over my cheek, the crazy pull between us electric and all-consuming.
And I know it’s no longer just in my head.
“Are you trying to make me jealous?” he growls, his voice thick with restrained emotion.
I blink back at him.
Part of me wanted to make him jealous as hell, but the other part just wanted to live for once.
Either way, I can’t answer his question.
“Are you jealous?” I ask instead, placing a hand to his chest to feel his pounding heart.
I want so desperately to be close to him.
He doesn’t answer me.
Instead, he lingers, a silent, suffocating presence, his nearness both thrilling and intensely intimate.
When he finally steps back, I’m breathless and panting, my heart racing out of control, my eyes locked with him in question.
“Onyx. What the hell?”
A shadow crosses his face as his expression turns serious, his mouth tightening into a thin line.
“Did he hurt you?”
I stare back at him, the intensity of his gaze making my heart pound.
“Only in all the ways I wanted him to.” My voice is barely above a breath, the words escaping my lips weaker than I’d intended.
If he wants me to make him jealous, I’m going to do every fucking thing possible to do it.
I see the flash of hurt, and he pushes away from me.
“You have started something you won’t be able to stop, trouble.” He produces a small black box and hands it to me before he strides down the hallway, waiting for me with the door open to the club.
And just like last night and a million times before, I’m left with my breath hitched in my chest as I fight to control my pounding heart.
What the hell was that?
He saw me with Romeo and now he wants me as well?
The whiplash is so bad, I can’t even find something smart to come back at him with.
I stare at the little velvet box then pop the lid.
It’s a heart charm bracelet, delicate and beautiful.
“For your birthday,” he mutters when I keep staring at the gorgeous piece of jewelry.
He’s never gotten me a gift before, nothing like this anyway.
I take the fine bracelet and place it around my wrist, a flutter in my chest. “It’s stunning, thank you.”
He offers a nod, and I pass him the empty box for him to deal with.
I wish things were different between us.
I would give just about anything to reach up and kiss his edible lips for giving me such a thoughtful gift.
Instead, I straighten my shoulders, lift my chin, and waltz into my club, faking an air of confidence to mask the churning nausea threatening to send me running to the bathroom.
I’m the perfect actress, I have been since I was a little girl and I worked out it was the only way to survive this world.
Don’t show any of them how you really feel.
Don’t show any sign of weakness at all.
Last night was a momentary slip-up.
One I will never let happen again.
I don’t know where my brothers pulled the cleaning crew from at such short notice, but what was a total shitshow before I left the room is now back to resembling my classy establishment.
They even went so far as to have a bouquet of fresh white roses left on the bar for me, their subtle sweet scent wafting my way.
Myriah holds a fresh cup of coffee up in front of my face as she greets me with a sly smile.
“You look like shit,” I tell her, looking her over.
“Didn’t have time to go home and change,” she admits, her head dropped, and I know there is a good story behind her guilty expression.
I look her over properly, taking a sip of my long black as I do.
She’s still in last night’s dress, her hair is in a neat ponytail, but her make-up is a little smudged.
“Did you stay here last night as well?”
She nibbles her lip.
“Most of us did. After you left, things got hectic.” Her cheeks glow with heat as she makes eye contact with Asher.
She didn’t! I don’t want to know if she and my brother hooked up.
It’s been brewing for a while, and knowing Asher, he would have taken the chance to make a move, but I don’t need to hear about it.
“Hmm. Go home and get yourself fixed up. Your shift doesn’t start until midday.”
“Thank you, Sloane,” she mutters.
“And happy birthday.”
“Can’t have you walking round here looking like that, now can we.” I offer her a half smile so she knows I’m kidding and I actually love her to bits.
She throws me a kiss before taking off for the door.
I will deal with the fallout from whatever that was later.
What the hell did I miss out on last night?
I throw a look to my brothers who have gathered at a table in the middle of the room with fresh coffee mugs of their own.
Irritation crawls under my skin when I realize Romeo is still here, and he’s sitting with them looking all too relaxed.
What, has he been accepted into the family just like that?
Something fishy is going on here.
I march over to the table.
“I thought I told you to get lost,” I snap at him.
It’s not really what I want, but I can’t deal with his come-fuck-me eyes right now.
I have to sort out my brothers and my club.
Also, my head feels all kinds of weird.
I have a swig of my coffee, hoping that will help.
“Quick costume change.” Romeo smirks smugly at me in a way that tells me he knows all my dirty secrets, and right now, he’s imagining how quickly he could remove this dress and have me on my back for him.
I take a step back from the table, losing my edge.
Why are my brothers all looking at me like that?
All four of them are here at this table.
Jagger and Malachi sit down one side with Asher and Cruz on the other and Romeo at the head.
“What the fuck is going on?” I spit, not liking the look of this at all.
“Why don’t you take a seat, Sis, we need to talk to you about something,” Ash says calmly.
He looks like he’s sobered up a hell of a lot in the last half-hour.
Jagger has also changed out of his wet clothes and has his emblemed jacket on over his bare chest.
“I would prefer to stand,” I mutter, eyeing them all suspiciously.
I feel like I’m about to need the upper hand here.
Cruz won’t make eye contact with me, and Malachi looks guilty as hell.
“I’m glad you and Romeo are getting along so well, because from now on, you will be working together,” Jagger announces.
I blink back at him, trying to process what he just said.
Romeo and me working together from now on?
No, those words don’t make any sense together at all.
“Excuse me?” I snap back at him, glancing toward Romeo as I do .
Romeo stands and moves around to where I’m standing, his hand trailing up my arm.
I feel the energy shift, and I see Cruz’s fists ball under the table; he’s about to lose his shit and get all protective twin brother on Romeo like he always does.
And right now, I’m not sure I would stop him.
My heart races like crazy and the room spins around me so much it blurs.
Romeo’s touch is the only thing I can focus on, light but very deliberate.
“What Jagger is trying to explain is that I now own a rather large share of your club, so from today, the two of us will be business partners.” His grin widens as if I should be elated to hear this information.
My glare turns icy, Romeo’s face blurring as my insides churn with a tempest of anger, betrayal, and hate.
The pain in my chest is a searing, burning agony, a terrible weight coupled with suffocating fear.
My head spins, a dizzying black washes over me, the room before me clouding, and then a bone-jarring thud as I slam onto the hard concrete floor, the sound of all my fears echoing in my ears.